Stabilized amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) as a supplement of cell culture media and the cell culture medium supplements comprising stabilized ACC are provided. In particular the stabilized ACC is useful for enhancing the growth of cell and tissue cultures, gametes and embryos in vitro.

Described herein are polymorphisms, and in particular single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) associated with late onset of sexual maturation in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). In particular, provided are methods for predicting late onset of sexual maturation in rainbow trout, methods for selecting a rainbow trout having late onset of sexual maturation and kit suitable for carrying out said methods. Further provided are rainbow trout cells, sperm and unfertilized eggs carrying at least one allele conferring late onset of sexual maturation in their genome.

A method of differentiating a primordial germ cell into a primordial follicle in vitro includes culturing a primordial germ cell and a supporting cell adjacent to the primordial germ cell under a pressurized condition or a low oxygen concentration condition.

Methods of enhancing fertility of a female subject by increasing the number of oogonia present in the ovary of the female subject are provided. Aspects of the methods include methods of in vivo expansion of oogonia as well as methods of ex vivo expansion of oogonia.

Cumulus cell (CC) gene expression is being explored as an additional method to morphological scoring to choose the embryo with the highest chance to pregnancy. The present invention relates to a novel method of identifying biomarker genes for evaluating the competence of a mammalian oocyte in giving rise to a viable pregnancy after fertilization, based on the use of live birth and embryonic development as endpoint criteria for the oocytes to be used in an exon level analysis of potential biomarker genes. The invention further provides CC-expressed biomarker genes thus identified, as well as prognostic models based on the biomarker genes identified using the methods of the present invention.

The invention relates to a method for polar body injection, which comprises removing a polar body from a first egg cell and injecting the polar body into a second egg cell that is in a fertilizable state.

The present technology provides for methods for generation and isolation of granulosa cells and/or granulosa cell precursors from multi-potent cells, wherein the granulosa cells and/or granulosa cell precursors are useful in methods for growth and maturation of follicles or follicle-like structures. Additionally, the present technology also provides for methods of increasing steroidal hormones in a subject in need thereof.

The invention relates to an in vitro method of cultivating cells from a non-mammalian aquatic animal, to cells derived from a non-mammalian aquatic animal, and to products containing the same.

Haploid human embryonic stem cells and cell lines, haploid multipotent human cells, and haploid differentiated human cells are provided. In addition, methods of making and using the haploid human cells are provided.

Provided for the first time in the present invention is a method for preparing a non-human primate somatic cell cloned animal, which method specifically comprises the steps of: (i) providing a reconstructed egg, wherein the egg comes from the non-human primate (ii) activating the reconstructed egg to form an activated reconstructed egg or activated reconstructed embryo formed by the reconstructed egg; (iii) reprogramming (a) the activated reconstructed egg or (b) embryonic cells of the activated reconstructed embryo to obtain a reprogrammed reconstructed egg or reprogrammed reconstructed embryo; and (iv) regenerating the reprogrammed reconstructed egg or reprogrammed reconstructed embryo to obtain the non-human primate somatic cell cloned animal. The method of the present invention can significantly improve the developmental capacity of nucleus-transplanted embryos in non-human primates (such as monkeys).